Global Commitment

Overview

The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment unites businesses, governments, and other organisations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source.

Signatories include companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally, as well as governments, NGOs, universities, industry associations, investors, and other organisations.

The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN Environment.

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The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment

What is it?

The Global Commitment draws a line in the sand in the fight against plastic waste and pollution. It unites over 400 businesses, governments, and other organisations from around the world behind a common vision and a set of 2025 targets to address the problem at its source. It is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with UN Environment.

Why is it necessary?

The problem with plastic starts long before it reaches our oceans, rivers, and beaches, and so must the solutions. Through the Global Commitment, businesses and governments commit to change how we produce, use, and reuse plastic. They will work to eliminate the plastic items we don’t need; innovate so all plastic we do need is designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything we use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.

Who is involved?

The Global Commitment has already mobilised over 400 signatories that are determined to start building a circular economy for plastic. These include companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally, some of which are well-known consumer businesses such as Danone; H&M group; L’Oréal; Mars, Incorporated; PepsiCo; The Coca-Cola Company; and Unilever; major packaging producers such as Amcor, plastics producers including Novamont, and resource management specialist Veolia.

The Global Commitment and its vision for a circular economy for plastic are supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and have been endorsed by the World Economic Forum, The Consumer Goods Forum (a CEO-led organisation representing some 400 retailers and manufacturers from 70 countries), and 40 universities, institutions and academics. More than 15 financial institutions with in excess of $2.5 trillion in assets under management have also endorsed the Global Commitment, and over $200 million has been pledged by five venture capital funds to create a circular economy for plastic.

How will it drive change?

All business and government signatories have signed up to a clear set of 2025 targets underpinned by shared definitions, and will report on progress annually to ensure transparency and help drive momentum. The targets will be reviewed every 18 months and will become increasingly ambitious in the coming years.

June 2019 report

Details of how brands, governments, and other organisations are tackling plastic pollution have been set out side-by-side for the first time in the Global Commitment June 2019 report.

Vision

At the heart of the Global Commitment is a vision of a circular economy for plastic in which it never becomes waste.

Signatories commit to three actions to realise this vision. Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items. Innovate to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Circulate all the plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.

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The vision has six key points:

• Elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging through redesign, innovation, and new delivery models is a priority

• Reuse models are applied where relevant, reducing the need for single-use packaging

• All plastic packaging is 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable

• All plastic packaging is reused, recycled, or composted in practice

• The use of plastic is fully decoupled from the consumption of finite resources

• All plastic packaging is free of hazardous chemicals, and the health, safety, and rights of all people involved are respected.

Ahold Delhaize

Mars, Incorporated

The Consumer Goods Forum

Woolworths Holdings Limited

Amcor

Choose your path

Business path

How to get involved

Businesses representing 20% of plastic packaging produced globally are already onboard, so don’t miss the train to what is fast becoming the new normal for plastic packaging. Join the Global Commitment and embark on a race to the top to help make plastic pollution a thing of the past.

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Government path

How to get involved

Governments across five continents have already signed up to the Global Commitment. Join them by committing to take ambitious measures to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment.

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Other organisation path

How to get involved

The Global Commitment is already endorsed by leading organisations such as WWF, the World Economic Forum, The Consumer Goods Forum, over 40 universities, institutions and academics, and more than fifteen financial institutions with more than $2.5 trillion in assets under management.

As an NGO, association, financial institution, university, or other organisation, you can endorse the Global Commitment and its common vision, encouraging more businesses and governments to join. Your support helps make this movement unstoppable.

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Citizen path

How to get involved

Around the world, people are coming together to demand change. Read and share the open letter to help raise awareness. Together we can call on businesses and governments to draw a #lineinthesand against plastic waste and pollution.

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Lead Philanthropic Partner

Philanthropic funders

Core Partners

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation works in Education & Training, Business & Government, Insight & Analysis, Systemic Initiatives and Communications to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The New Plastics Economy is an initiative to build momentum towards a plastics system that works. Applying the principles of the circular economy, it brings together key stakeholders to rethink and redesign the future of plastics, starting with packaging.